


guardian angel

by skellingfish



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: M/M, theres a little bit of angst but it'll be okay, theyre such a little family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-08 00:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8821792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skellingfish/pseuds/skellingfish
Summary: After Yuri receives a distressing telephone call from Yurio, there are some big changes around the Nikiforov-Katsuki household.





	1. Chapter 1

At first Yuri thought he was dreaming. The sound was so soft, so far away it might have been just another passing thought. But the familiar ring of the landline soon jolted him from his sleep. Beside him, Victor’s chest rose in fell with the gentle rhythm of his breaths. Makkachin was curled beneath the free arm extending towards the edge of the bed.

He left Victor as he was, and quickly answered the phone so it wouldn’t disturb him.

“This is Katsuki Yuri speaking.”

“Yuri?” The voice on the other end jolted him awake. It was lilted by a familiar accent. “It’s Yurio.”

“What are you doing up so late? Are you all right? You sound like you’ve been crying.”

“I, uh, I need to speak to Victor. It’s important.” he stammered.

“He’s asleep, but I can—“

“Please.” Yurio choked, his voice breaking into a sob. His rough breaths filled the microphone with static. For a moment neither of them spoke.

“I’ll go get Victor.” Yuri said finally. “Hang on for one moment.”

He left the phone on the counter, his stomach a mess of worry. Yurio never called. He always preferred to text, email, even face time. Yuri hadn’t even thought he’d known the home phone number.

“Victor,” His voice was soft, but in the silent room it felt too loud. Makkachin whined. “Victor, wake up.”

The Russian turned, his eyes fluttering.

“What? What is it?”

“Yurio’s on the phone downstairs. He’s really panicked.”

Victor sat up straight, swinging his legs off the bed and making Makkachin yelp in surprise.

“I’ll go speak to him,” he said, hurrying off to find the phone in only his flannel pajama bottoms. Yuri watched him go, giving the pup a calming scratch behind the ears.

With a heavy weight of anxiety in his chest, he curled up under the covers and tried to go back to sleep.

 

“Yurio?”

“Victor? Thank god. I need to talk to you.” Yurio said.

“What’s going on? Why are you calling in the middle of the night?”

There was a sniffle on the other end of the line. He cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice steady. “Grandpa is dead.”

Victor’s heart sank. “Oh no, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

He listened to the boys quiet crying for a moment before speaking again.

“When is the funeral?”

“It was today. I didn’t even think to call you earlier, I was so focused on Grandpa I didn’t even realize what it would mean.” Yurio’s words were almost indistinguishable, all strung together in hurried Russian.

“What does it mean?” Victor asked, confused.

There was another few seconds of shaky breathing. “I have to go live with my parents now.”

“What? What about Yakov? Aren’t you going to keep skating under him?”

“I want to, but as long as they’re the ones taking care of me they want me home. Tch. They never gave a damn about my skating, even when I was a little kid! It was always grandpa, only him, and now he’s gone.”

Victor tried to speak but Yurio cut him off.

“I can’t stop now, not when I’m still just a teen. I need to keep skating, and keep winning gold. I can’t let them take that away from me, even if it’s only for a few years until I turn eighteen.”

“Well what would you like me to do about it?” Victor asked.

“I want you to become my legal guardian. I want to live with you and Yuri.”

Victor stared into the receiver. “You want me to _adopt_ you?”

“Just for a few years, until I’m of age. Please, I really need this. I can’t miss a season. I can’t, not when I’m so close.”

He didn’t know what to say, so he just bit his lip, thinking hard.

“Victor?” Yurio asked, his voice nervous.

“Yes.” Victor said. “I’ll do it. Let me get in touch with your parents and we’ll see about making this happen.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Thank you.” His voice was full of relief, his breaths still shaky. But he didn’t sound nearly so scared now.

“Go to sleep Yurio. Or at least try to. I’ll sort this out.”

“Wait, Victor.”

“What is it?”

“Thank you so much. I want you to know how grateful I am for this. I need you to know.”

Victor just smiled. “I do know. Goodnight Yurio.”

He waited until the boy hung up, only then did he let his breathing quicken until he had to hold onto the edge of the counter to keep himself up.

 _How can I take care of a child?_ he thought. _How can I be responsible for someone’s life like this?_

“Victor?”

He jumped, looking over to where Yuri stood in the doorway, draped in a blanket he’d stolen from the bed.

“I was wondering what was taking so long.” he said, “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Victor smiled weakly. “We’re going to be parents, Yuri.”

 

Yurio arrived from Moscow a week later, tugging an animal print suitcase that was almost as big as he was. It had been easy for Victor to obtain custody; it wasn’t like his parents really even _wanted_ him.

Yuri was shocked when he saw the bags under the boy’s eyes. It looked like he hadn’t slept since his phone call with Victor.

“You can take my old room.” Yuri said, dragging the immense suitcase behind him. “It’s the biggest one. Victor and I are living in the old banquet hall, and you can use the storage closet off it like last time if you want, but I assumed you’d like the better space.”

“No, this room is fine. It’s far away from the busy lobby.”

“Would you like to come down to the market with me tonight? We can find you some more clothes and stuff, while everything else ships over.”

“I think I might just rest.”

“Would you like help unpacking?”

“No thanks.” said Yurio, and shut the door in Yuri’s face.

“I don’t know if he’s going to be happy here.” Yuri remarked later that night, after Yurio had remained shut in his room all day. “I don’t think he likes us.”

“Why would he have asked to come then?” Victor asked.

“Well,” Yuri trailed off. “He did ask _you_ , not me. Maybe you should go talk to him.”

He looked over at Yuri. “I think he might just need some time to himself. He is still in mourning after all.”

Yurio didn’t come down for dinner, or breakfast the next morning, although he ate the pork cutlet bowl which Yuri left outside his door.

“Yurio?” Yuri said, knocking on the door at noon the next day. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine.” he called back, and didn’t open the door. When Victor came to bed that night, Yuri was still sulking.

“Does he not like me?” he asked. “I feel like I’ve done something wrong.”

“Yuri just leave him be. He just needs time.”

“No Victor, trust me. This is not how you get over grief. Hiding doesn’t help, trust me, I’ve tried.”

“Well what are we supposed to do about it?”

“Victor!” Yuri snapped. He immediately looked sorry, but continued anyway. “You’re his guardian now. You’re supposed to watch over him. Letting him sit in there making himself even more miserable then ever isn’t how a parent behaves.”

Victor looked dumbstruck.

“Am I not doing a good job?” he asked softly.

“I didn’t say that.” He said it too quickly, but Victor didn’t seem to notice. “I’m only saying you need to be a little more welcoming. I think all he needs is to be accepted into the family.”

“I suppose we are a family now, aren’t we?”

Yuri nodded. “We have to be, for him at least.”

He watched Victor, whose face was furrowed in thought.

“I’ll speak to him tomorrow morning,” he said finally. “I need to think about what I’ll say.”

Yuri leaned over, pulling Victor close to him. He felt guilty for snapping. “I know you’ll do so well. You’re going to be the most amazing parent ever. You’re so loving and supportive, it’s exactly what he needs.”

Victor gave him a kiss on the cheek. He felt a lot better after hearing that.


	2. Chapter 2

“Good morning Yurio!” Victor said, knocking on his door.

“It’s too early Victor,” he said, checking the time.

“No such thing! Why don’t we go for a little skating this morning?” He leaned against the doorframe. “May I come in?”

“Sure. Whatever.”

When Victor pushed open the door, he was surprised to see that Yuri hadn’t unpacked a single thing. The bag was still full, pushed to one wall. It looked just as it had before he had moved in, with the only other difference being the teenager lounging on the bed.

“How did you sleep?” Victor asked, but quickly corrected himself when the boy looked up with circles so dark they looked like bruises.

“Ah, so you didn’t.”

He shook his head. Victor sank down on the bed next to him and Yurio sat up, watching him.

“Why don’t you come down to breakfast this morning?”

“No thanks.” he said, turning off his phone and letting it fall to the covers.

“Come on Yurio, Yuri really wants to see you.”

He sighed. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Victor stood, extending a hand. “Come on, it’s breakfast time. You must be hungry.”

“Well, maybe a little.” he admitted, and followed Victor down the stairs.

Yuri had set the low table with bowls and plates. As they sat at their places, he pushed the kitchen door open with his shoulder and carried in a large frying pan.

“I made breakfast,” he said, “How many eggs would you like?”

“Two,” said Victor.

“One,” said Yurio. Yuri gave him three.

In the middle of the table sat a large stock pot, full almost to the brim with hot miso soup. Yuri ladled a big portion into the bowl in front of Yurio, and pushed a spoon towards him.

“Eat it before it gets could. Would you like fruit milk? Tea?”

“I’m fine,” the Russian grumbled, his temper evaporating. “I do not want to become a piggy like you.”

“I’m just worried. You haven’t eaten much since you’ve arrived.”

“I’ve barely been here a day!”

Victor smiled, sipping his hot tea. “Yuri and I were going to go to the rink later for some practice. Would you like to come too?”

He nodded. His mouth was full of egg.

“I was going to go out to the grocery later,” Yuri said. “I was wondering if you’d like to come pick something out for dinner. Mari-chan is coming over, The Nishigoris are too. And Minako as well.”

“Why’re they all showing up?”

“We’re having a welcome dinner for you,” said Victor. “We wanted to make you feel more at home here.”

Yurio sighed. “You do realize I’m only going to be here during the off season. As soon as Yakov starts up training again, I’m flying right back to Russia.”

Victor watched Yuri visibly droop and cleared his throat. “Yes, of course, but there’s at least a month until then so you might as well settle in. This is your home for now, and I am your guardian, so you’ll probably be living with me off-season until you’re of age. I think it’s probably best for you to try and make this as close to home as you can.”

The boy’s expression soured, but he just nodded. “Okay, I will help you pick out dinner tonight.”

“Alright!” Yuri grinned. “Will you teach me how to make food like in Russia?”

“I’m sure Victor can do that,” he said, but nodded anyway.

 

Although Yurio had spent some time in Hasetsu, he had never actually gone into the big supermarket outside the main town.

“What’s this?” he asked, peering at an oddly shaped green packet. Beside the shelf was a little booth where an employee sat.

“It’s wasabi. Would you like a sample?” she asked, pushing forwards a little paper cup.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” said Yuri.

“What’s wasabi?” Yurio looked intrigued.

“A very spicy sauce. Too spicy.” he warned. The boy nodded.

“I’ll try a some.”

“Are you sure?” the lady asked.

“Of course! Hand it over!”

He snatched up a sample and licked it straight from the cup.

“Yurio! Apologize at once! That was a rude thing to say.” Yuri tried desperately to put some sense of authority into his tone, but it died away as he noticed the blush forming in the boy’s cheeks.

“Ah!” he cried, tears forming in his eyes. “It’s hot!”

“I told you!” Yuri looked helplessly to the employee, who quickly filled another paper cup.

“Water?”

Yuri downed the cup, filling it several times again and blinking tears from his eyes.

“Why in god’s name would anyone choose to eat that stuff?” he said finally, his voice horse.

“It’s good,” said Yuri, licking up a sample of his own. “I’ll take a jar if that’s alright.”

“No!” said Yurio. “We are leaving this where it is. Come on, let’s find something for dinner.”

He took Yuri by the hand, marching off into the store away from the spicy green wasabi.

 

When they’d finished shopping, Yuri bought the Russian some mochi from a street vendor and called Victor while he ate.

“We’ve finished the shopping,” he said. Victor had asked him to start speaking to him in Japanese so he could begin learning it. “Yurio tried every sample in the store.”

“Did he like?” Victor asked, his broken Japanese plagued with a thick Russian accent.

“Most things, except the wasabi.”

“Too spicy.”

“Anyway, we’re going to head home soon. Are you almost done decorating for the dinner tonight?”

“Yes. The kidney looks beautiful.”

“Just speak to me in English. You’re not making any sense.”

“Damn it,” Victor swore. “I thought I was getting the hang of this.”

“Can you just make sure the house is in order for tonight my love?”

“Of course, Yuri.” Victor said, and hung up.


End file.
